The scoop on preservatives and meats

I read a biography of Shakespeare once where the author argued that Shakespeare ate a far healthier diet than we do. In those days salt (sodium chloride) was used to preserve food. Nowadays we have refrigeration and preservatives.

I want to focus here on preservatives for processed meats - hot dogs, turkey, bacon, ham - which we refrigerate but don’t freeze. They use synthetic nitrates and nitrites to prevent discoloration (oxidation), and to preserve the flavor, and to kill fungal growth and the bacteria that cause botulism.

Is there a problem?

Many have heard that there might be a link between nitrates, nitrites and cancer. This is complicated. First, nitrates - generally sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate - are used as a source for nitrite, which (via a bacterial culture) “cures” the meat. It turns out, though, that even when processed meats say “nitrates-free” or “nitrites-free” that technically it isn’t true. Some form of preservative is used – usually celery powder and salt. Take Trader Joe’s Uncured Pastrami which claims “No Nitrates or Nitrites Added. Perishable. Not Preserved.” Then, in smaller print, it says “Except for naturally occurring Nitrates in Celery Powder’” which of course acts as a preservative. Is it better to have naturally occurring nitrates than synthetic ones? I don’t know. Some people feel strongly about it.

Manufacturers are legally required to say that if they use preservatives from natural sources (like celery powder, which is high in nitrates), as opposed to synthetic ones, then their products must be accompanied by the words “Uncured” and “No nitrates or nitrites added” even though they are cured and they do contain those nitrates.

Confused yet? The meat packagers aren’t really at fault here. The problem is that the USDA labeling – while well-intentioned though it is – is misleading (they are at least aware of the problem and want to find a way to address it). Unfortunately, many consumers have the idea that all preservatives are bad, especially synthetic ones, and that organic or naturally-derived ones might be better than “chemicals.” There is no solid evidence that I am aware of to support this view. It is all “chemicals” really and the residual amounts are tiny. You are just as much at risk from the salt and saturated fats.

Still, it would be better for your health if you could avoid all food additives like preservatives and eat fresh, unprocessed “whole” foods grown locally. It's almost impossible to do so though, unless you eat only fresh food, and that is impossible. So, in the meantime, maybe you want to eat refrigerated foods that have no nitrate and nitrite preservatives and look for certified organic labels. If you are a worrier, do research on nitrosamines, which can form when nitrites combine with meat protein, especially in the stomach. They are widely regarded as carcinogenic.